Mobile communication devices are becoming increasingly popular for business and personal use due to a relatively recent increase in number of services and features that the devices and mobile infrastructures support. Handheld mobile communication devices, sometimes referred to as mobile stations, are essentially portable computers having wireless capability, and come in various forms. These include Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), cellular phones and smart phones. The user interface for such devices typically includes, a keyboard, a message waiting indicator to indicate received voice or email messages, and an LCD display.
The message waiting indicator typically comprises an LED mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) within the device and a light pipe (sometimes referred to as a light guide) for transmitting light via Total Internal Reflection (TIR) from the LED to the surface of the device, so as o be visible to the user. The circuitry within the device causes the LED to flash upon receipt of a message, thereby notifying the user. The design and operation of such circuitry would be well known to a person of skill in the art, and does not form part of the present specification.
The LCD display typically includes a backlight control device to control variable brightness or to maintain the brightness of the display. The backlight control device includes a backlight lamp mounted on the back of an LCD to emit light, a light sensor for measuring intensity of the external or surrounding light, and an A/D converter for converting an electric signal, detected and generated by the light sensor, into a digital signal for controlling the backlight lamp.
It is highly desirable to minimize the size of such mobile communication devices for enhanced portability. However, incorporation of the light sensor consumes valuable real-estate on the surface of the device, and may detract from the appearance of the device.